Fact or Fiction
Every year, Training camp is filled with numerous stories of players making big leaps or falling down the down the depth chart. With all the news circling camp, it's hard to know which is overblown and what is truly plausible. In this article, I explore some of the biggest news out of camp so far and what I think is "fact," and what is "fiction."
Davante Parker "Monster": Fiction - It seems like every year is Davante Parker's potential breakout season and this year is no different. The reporting coming out of Dolphins camp are that the coaching staff has really seen him turn a corner and turn into a "monster." Could Parker take a big step this year? Absolutely. Is he going to be a 1200 yard, 10 TD WR? Highly doubt it. Ryan Tannehill going down for the year might not be a bad thing for Parker, but the offensive scheme is. In Adam Gase's time in Chicago with now QB Jay Cutler, he did everything in his power to throw the ball less. From an NFL standpoint, this did wonders for Cutler who is notorious for taking chances and turning the ball over. From a fantasy standpoint, I don't think this will translate into heavy targets for Parker. The commitment to the run has been something that really turned the Dolphins season around last year and I don't see that changing. Put aside Parker's injury history, competing with Landry and Stills for targets is going to be an uphill battle.
Eddie Lacy In Shape: Fact - Let's face it, Eddie Lacy isn't going to be heading down the runway anytime soon, but he could absolutely be in football shape. Lacy is a physical back and his size plays a factor in his effectiveness. On the other hand, there is a balance to this scale. Lacy has consistently dealt with injuries throughout his career including last year's season ending ankle surgery. Based on reports, some would attribute a percentage of these to his weight roller coaster and getting him in shape is number 1 priority for Seattle. So far, he has cleared his 250 weigh in, but ideally, I think they want to see him closer to 235. If Lacy can continue to keep the weight off, he could be a massive value at RB28.
Nelson Agholor Jumping Matthews: Fiction - Another camp standout to this point has been Nelson Agholor. There were some reports coming out of Philly recently that he may even be taking over the slot role, moving Matthews to the bench. I find it very hard to believe that a receiver that has been all but invisible, could suddenly relegating the second leading WR to the bench. Matthews hasn't been the "stud" people were hoping for in Philly, but he has been the best they have. I think Agholor could definitely take a step forward this season, but I see this as a 2016 Devin Funchess situation. I'm down on both of these guys.
Le'Veon Bell Holdout: Fiction - As a fantasy owner drafting in the top 3 - 4 slots of the draft, you never want to see a player you might be targeting in a contract dispute. Unfortunately, that is exactly where Le'veon Bell finds himself a week into training camp. After receiving the franchise tag, Bell has been pushing for a long-term deal with Pittsburgh. In my opinion, we're about 2 weeks away from any real concern over this situation since Bell is a veteran and doesn't really need those preseason snaps the same way a rookie would. If you drafted Bell, be sure to handcuff and monitor this situation closely. On a side note, Freeman signing his long-term deal to make him the highest paid RB today could be a big help to this whole situation.
Woodhead RB to Own in Baltimore: Fact - I know, I know, this is a fairly polarizing backfield. On one hand, you have West who came to Baltimore and revitalized his career after being cut by Cleveland. West should see the bulk of the early down work with Dixon out for the season. On the other hand, you have Danny Woodhead, the smallest goal-line RB in the NFL. Coming off an ACL tear, it's easy to see why some would be fairly hesitant in drafting a 32-year-old RB. That being said, all Woodhead has done in his last 2 full seasons is amass 2,125 yards, 17 TDs, and 156 catches. In an offense that has been top 10 in passing attempts over the last 2 seasons, it's easy to see why the Ravens were so excited to bring Woodhead in. I think both of these RBs will have value, but I could see Woodhead outperforming West in the long run.long run.f these RBs will have value, but I could see Woodhead outperforming West in the long run.